Chromatic Harmonica Technique…The Pyramid Explained

Chromatic Harmonica Technique…The Pyramid Explained

The Pyramid

Look at your PERSONAL PLAN FOR DEVELOPING mastery of the instrument and knowledge of music as a pyramid.
A pyramid made of stone like the ones in Egypt. The base is very wide, and the top is at the point. Where you go in music depends on the strength of the FOUNDATION stones you lay at the BASE OF THE PYRAMID. If you master these skills, you can go far. And if you don’t you’ll pretty much be a beginner forever.

THE KEY FOUNDATION TONES OF CHROMATIC HARMONICA:

THE BREATH PUCKER EMBOUCHURE TONGUE EMBOUCHURE GET A QUALITY INSTRUMENT WRITE DOWN YOUR GOALS WITH HARMONICA AND POST THEM IN YOUR HOME KNOW THE NOTE LAYOUT LEARN TO USE THE SLIDE TECHNICAL MASTERY OF NOTE POSITION THROUGH EXERCISES TECHNIQUES OF CHROMATIC HARMONICA: LEARN TO SHAPE TONE THROUGH EMBOUCHURE/ guttural larynx SHAPING TONE WITH YOUR HANDS LEARN TO BEND NOTES HOW TO DETERMINE WHICH NOTE TO PLAY WHEN YOU HAVE A BLOW OR DRAW CHOICE CONTROL OF DYNAMICS, OR VOLUME LEARN TO PLAY ON KEY…draws often go flat PLAY THE LOW NOTES PLAY THE HIGHS IMPROVISE ON EVERYTHING TRY MANY APPROACHES TO THE SAME PIECE YOU PLAY PLAY BY YOURSELF PLAY WITH OTHERS GET A RECORDING DEVICE, LISTEN TO YOUR SOUND UNDERSTAND AND PLAY SCALES STUDY MUSIC THEORY…WILLIAM’DUCKWORTH’S books PLAY MODES LISTEN TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF MUSIC ZERO IN ON THE MUSIC YOU LIKE ACCEPT THIS IS A LIFELONG PATH…BUT THAT’S WHAT MAKES IT INTERESTING NEVER CRITICIZE YOURSELF IN UNHEALTHY WAYS…SPEAK POSITIVELY OF YOUR PLAYING DWELL ON YOUR SUCCESSES GET INTO THE HABIT OF GETTING INTO THE MUSICAL MOMENT/ PLAY WITH CDS LEARN TO READ MUSIC…TAKE IT SLOW…IT COMES SLOWLY PLAY OUT ON STAGE WHEN YOU CAN STUDY OTHER’S PLAYING/ GET 20 CDS A WEEK, listen and play with them USE PLAY ALONG BOOKS STUDY TECHNIQUES OF SAX AND TRUMPET PLAYERS, AND GUITARISTS AND SINGERS…CAN YOU DUPLICATE THEIR SOUNDS? GET INTO THE HABIT OF “THINKING” THE TONES, THEN PLAYING THEM…FROM MIND TO INSTRUMENT IMPROVISE ON EVERYTHING, IN ADDITION TO PLAYING AS WRITTEN OR AS YOU HEAR IT BEGIN TO ASK…WHAT IS YOUR STYLE? LEARN ABOUT THE WORLD’S BEST HARMONICA PLAYERS IMMERSE YOURSELF IN MUSIC DAILY

When the FOUNDATION STONES of your pyramid are strong, your technique will continue to improve. The key of course, is the BREATH, that’s where it all starts. With the above foundation stones in your PYRAMID, you will thrive.